Filling In The Spaces
by momentary-ecstasy
Summary: Sequel to Empty Space. A few months later, Marissa, Summer, and Seth head off to college. Marissa knows Alex is there somewhere and plans to keep an eye out. Will she find what she's looking for?
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing. Sequel to Empty Space.

A/N: Seth and Summer are back together.

* * *

Marissa pulled into a parking space and looked at her residence hall in the distance. She laid her head on the steering wheel. She didn't want to be here. Well, she had mixed feelings about being there. The dorm was small, she didn't know her roommate, she didn't really know anyone except Summer, but she was staying in the hall next to Marissa's.

There was one glimmer of hope. She knew Alex went to the same school. It made her feel better to know that Alex was at least somewhere on campus. The surf competition schedule was posted on the school website, which Marissa already knew it by heart, plus she was sure that if she really wanted to she could find out the surf team's practice dates. Summer told her the last part started to border on stalking, so Marissa was going to lay off the practices unless things got really bad.

"Coop?" Summer asked. Apparently she'd walked up to Marissa's car and opened the car door while Marissa was deep in thought.

"Oh sorry," Marissa shook her head and got out.

Seth looked around, "This place looks a lot smaller on the brochure."

Marissa grabbed one of her bags out of the back of her car and walked with Seth and Summer toward the halls.

"I'm this way," Seth told the girls.

Summer kissed him, "Okay, call me when you get settled in and we'll go get something to eat or something."

Seth smiled and walked off, "Have fun."

Marissa let out a long breath. She secretly hoped her mystery roommate turned out to be Alex. It would be awkward for a while, but Alex would be close. Sleeping in the same room close.

"I'm going to go to my room now," Summer told Marissa.

Marissa nodded, "Me too."

They parted ways and Marissa's phone rang a second after she stepped into her hall. "Hey."

"Hey," Summer said, "Does your hall smell like old popcorn?"

Marissa chuckled, "No. Does yours?"

"Yeah," Summer answered.

Marissa merged into the traffic getting onto the stairs and made her way to the second floor. "Are you in your room yet?"

"Yeah," Summer stated, "My roommate's not here yet."

Marissa got off on the second floor and scanned the doors for her number. She found it a second later and opened it. There was nothing in the room except for two beds, two desks, and two dressers.

"My roommate's not here either," Marissa told Summer.

"If I look out my window and lean to the side, I can almost see a tree," Summer added, "And I have a great view of…you!"

Marissa looked out her window and saw Summer looking back in the building next to her. Marissa smiled, "That's cool."

"Yeah, we can tie two tin cans together and not have to use our cell phones," Summer waved.

Marissa laughed and put her bag down on the bed to her right.

"Hey, I think you're roommate's there," Summer pointed to behind Marissa.

Marissa turned around and saw a girl with long dark hair and deep dark eyes. She was a little shorter than Marissa and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

"Hey," Marissa smiled at her, "I'm Marissa."

The girl put down her bags on the bed Marissa's stuff wasn't on and smiled back, "I'm Caden."

"Interesting names," Marissa shook the girl's hand.

Caden smiled, "Is that a good thing?"

Marissa nodded. "Oh, this is my best friend Summer." Marissa pointed to the window.

Caden peered out and saw Summer wave. Caden chuckled, "Tell her I said hi."

"She said hi," Marissa relayed.

"What that planned or did it just happen?" Caden asked pointing toward Summer's window.

"It just happened," Marissa shrugged.

"I'm putting you on speaker," Summer told Marissa, "I want to claim my territory before my roommate get's here."

Marissa smirked, "Alright."

Summer put her phone on speaker and set it on the top of the dresser. As she was getting her stuff out, she heard a knock on the door.

"And you must be my new…" Summer trailed off seeing her roommate.

"Summer?" Alex asked with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Alex," Summer stated.

"What?!" Marissa looked out the window over Summer's shoulder and saw the blonde haired, blue eyes beauty who had turned her down a few months earlier.

Caden looked past Summer and Marissa to Alex, then to Summer, and finally Marissa, "Hmmm, awkward?"

"I'll call you back," Summer told Marissa and hung up.

Marissa looked at her phone and then back over to Summer's room where the blinds were now down.

Marissa sat on the bed and couldn't really figure out if she was happy or angry or scared out of her mind. She just sat there staring at her phone.

"This is weird," Alex set her bag down.

Summer nodded, "A little….well, a lot."

Alex sat on her bed and bit her lip. She looked up at Summer, "Is this going to be too weird?"

After a long, deep breath, Summer shook her head, "I think it'll be okay. As long as it's okay that Marissa comes over every once and a while. I'd rather keep you as a roommate than get someone I don't know and thinks Princess Sparkle is weird."

"Me too," Alex nodded, "It's fine with me if Marissa's comes over. I usually have surf practice when I'm not in class anyway. I won't be here that much."

"Alright," Summer nodded.

Caden quietly started unpacking her things, wondering what was going on. She glanced questioningly over at Marissa when she finally looked up from the floor.

"She's my ex," Marissa explained.

"Your best friend?" Caden sat on her bed across from Marissa.

"No," Marissa shook her head, "The blonde one."

Caden smiled, "Oh. And she's now roommates with your best friend?"

Marissa nodded.

Caden smiled brighter, "This is going to be an interesting semester."

Marissa's phone rang in her hand and she immediately answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey," Summer said on the other end of the line.

"What happened?" Marissa asked.

"She said she's fine being my roommate," Summer opened the blinds again, "She also said it's okay for you to come over and she won't be here that much because of surf practice."

Marissa looked through Summer's room, "Where'd she go?"

"She went to get the rest of her stuff," Summer answered, "And you can't be looking through our room all the time. It's kinda creepy."

"Okay," Marissa looked around, "Do you wanna go get something to eat now?"

"Yeah," Summer answered, "Seth already called, wondering when we were going."

Marissa's eyes caught Caden, "Do you wanna go with me and Summer and her boyfriend to get something to eat?"

"Sure," Caden shrugged.

"Cool," Marissa answered, "I'm bringing my roommate."

"There's no way I'm bringing mine," Summer replied, "That would be really awkward."

"Of course," Marissa grabbed her purse and led Caden out the door.

"So where are you from?" Summer asked Caden over burgers at a little café down the street.

"LA," Caden answered, "Where are you guys from?"

"Newport Beach," Summer answered.

"Oh," Caden nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I think too," Seth rolled his eyes.

Caden chuckled.

"Is Alex really your roommate?" Seth asked Summer.

Summer nodded, "You can come over sometime and I'll prove it."

"Alex is your ex?" Caden asked Marissa.

Marissa nodded.

"And mine," Seth added.

"But now you two are together?" Caden raised an eyebrow, gesturing between Seth and Summer, "Interesting."

When they got back to the campus, Caden went back to their room and Summer, Marissa, and Seth went to Summer's room with armfuls of clothes and other essentials.

"Did you really have to bring all your seasons of The Valley?" Seth asked.

"Of course," Summer answered matter-of-factly.

"That'll drive Alex insane," Marissa smiled wistfully to herself.

"She said she was going out with some of her teammates," Summer unlocked the door, "I don't think she's here." Summer opened the door and found no one inside.

Seth and Marissa stayed to help Summer unpack and decorate. Marissa was standing on the bed hanging Summer's posters while Seth unpacked Summer's seasons of The Valley.

"Do you want these color coded or chronological?" Seth asked Summer.

Summer raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's a legitimate question," Seth told her, "They were always different when I saw them."

"Chronological," Summer answered.

Marissa reached up and pinned a poster to the wall, "Does that look okay?"

Summer looked over at it while putting clothes in her dresser, "Yeah." She went back to unpacking clothes and added, "It might be better if I get a roommate I don't know. Then I wouldn't feel back about taking up most of the closet."

The door opened a few seconds later and Alex stepped in. She looked up at the group on one side of the room and froze.

"Hey Alex," Seth smiled.

Alex looked down at him, "Hey." She started moving again and surveyed Summer's side of the room, "Wow. It looks like home already."

"It'll be better when Marissa finishes with the posters," Summer made sure that Alex knew Marissa was there, but knew there was no way Alex missed that Marissa was standing on the bed.

Alex nodded and went to her bed, "Yeah…" Alex pulled a box from under her bed and started doing her own decorating.

"My roommate's on the water polo team," Seth sighed.

The three girls in the room smiled.

"No way," Marissa smiled as she pinned up the last poster.

"Yeah," Seth nodded, "The universe hates me."

"I liked your roommate," Summer told Marissa.

"Yeah Caden's nice," Marissa nodded, jumping off of the bed.

"What's your major again?" Seth asked Marissa.

"Fashion Merchandising," Marissa answered, "What was yours?"

"Art," Seth smiled.

"And you're pre-law?" Marissa asked Summer.

Summer nodded.

"What about you Alex?" Seth looked over at Alex who was sitting on her bed reading.

She looked up from her book, "Huh?"

"What's your major?" Seth asked. Summer and Marissa both looked at Alex in anticipation for an answer.

"Undecided," Alex answered.

Seth nodded, "Cool." He stood, "As much as I love hanging out with you ladies, I'm going to go make sure my roommate didn't eat all my stuff."

"Bye," Summer kissed him.

"Bye," Alex added.

Marissa just waved.

Seth waved to them all and walked out.

"I should probably get back too," Marissa told the ground, talking to Summer and a little to Alex.

"Okay," Summer walked with Marissa to the door, "How about I walk you back?"

Marissa nodded, glancing at Alex who was back to reading. She sighed and followed Summer out the door.

When the door closed, Alex sighed and fell back on her bed. She'd read the same line at least twenty times and still didn't remember what it said. She was listening to Seth, Summer, and Marissa's conversation the whole time and hated that she couldn't stop herself.

Summer crossed her arms as they walked. "What's the plan?"

"What plan?" Marissa asked.

"C'mon, I know you," Summer answered, "There's always a plan."

Marissa shrugged, "My only plan failed four months ago…. Maybe she really moved on."

Summer walked with Marissa up the door of the hall, "So you're going to give up?"

"I never said that," Marissa told Summer, "I just don't have a plan. I guess I'm just going to have to wing it."

Summer nodded and hugged Marissa, "I'm glad you know what you're doing."

Marissa smiled, "Goodnight."

"Night," Summer told Marissa and started walking back to her dorm.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex walked into her dorm and set her surfboard against the wall. The first surf team practice had been grueling. She looked over at Summer who was laying on her bed looking at the TV.

Alex fell face down on her bed.

"How was practice?" Summer asked.

Alex just groaned.

Summer chuckled, "That good huh?"

"What are you watching?" Alex asked falling back on her bed.

"The Valley," Summer answered.

Alex smiled, "Fun."

Summer paused it, "I'm going to get something to drink from the vending machine downstairs. Do you want something?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded.

"Okay," Summer grabbed some money and walked out.

There was a knock on the door a few seconds later. Alex rolled off of her bed and opened the door.

"Hey Alex," Seth smiled.

Alex left the door open and went back to her bed, "Summer will be right back."

"Cool," Seth sat on Summer's bed, "So how have you been Alex? Watching the Valley, I see."

"I wasn't watching the Valley," Alex answered, "I just got back from surf practice."

"When's your first games or match or whatever," Seth asked.

"About a month," Alex answered.

"When are practices?" Seth asked.

"Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays," Alex closed her eyes.

Seth picked up Princess Sparkle. "So you're free on the weekends?"

Alex nodded, "But I'm probably going to go practice on my own."

"You don't like it in here?" Seth gestured around the room, "With all the pink and lace and whatnot?"

Alex laughed, "I don't mind it."

"I bet you got that living with Marissa," Seth blurted out.

Alex's eyes shot up to Seth.

He met her eyes, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Alex interrupted her, "But yeah it is sorta like living with Marissa. Except Summer talks more and sleeps in a different bed."

A weird smile crossed Seth's face.

"You're a perv," Alex smiled.

"Hey you put it out there," Seth smirked.

The door opened before Alex could reply. Summer walked in with two bottles of water and handed one to Alex.

"Thanks," Alex said, opening her bottle.

Summer sat next to Seth, "What have you two been talking about?"

"That living with you is kind of living with Marissa," Seth answered.

Summer looked over at Alex, "Really? Is it better living with me or her?"

"That is what I call a 'loaded question'," Seth did air quotations, "I find it is best to keep silent until she moves on."

Alex smiled.

Summer elbowed Seth and looked at Alex, "Ignore him."

Alex put her hands behind her head, "It's different."

"You said it was like living with Marissa," Seth countered.

Alex propped her head up with her elbow, "I said it was sorta like living with Marissa."

"But I'm more fun right?" Summer smiled.

"In different ways," Alex replied wistfully.

"Alex hates the pink and lace," Seth added.

"I did not," Alex grabbed her hoodie off of the floor and pulled it on, "You said that."

Summer looked at Seth, "How dare you try to lie on Alex? She's the best roommate I've ever had."

"Better than Marissa?" Seth asked.

"Marissa had her own room. She was a housemate," Summer answered.

"Ah," Seth played with Princess Sparkle's hair, "Have you ever thought about giving Princess Sparkle a perm?"

Summer took the plastic horse away from Seth, "Don't say that word around her."

"What word?" Seth asked.

"Perm," Summer smoothed out Princess Sparkle's hair. "Oh, I haven't made official introductions yet. Alex this is Princess Sparkle. Princess Sparkle, Alex."

Alex smirked, "Nice to meet you."

"She says that if you ever need someone to talk to you can always talk to her," Summer added.

"Oookay," Alex raised an eyebrow.

"It's surprising how therapeutic talking to a plastic horse is," Summer put Princess Sparkle down.

"I'll remember that," Alex laid back down.

There was another knock on the door. Seth got up and opened it, finding Marissa with an armload of books.

"Whoa," Seth took some of the books from Marissa, "How many classes are you taking?"

Marissa shrugged, "I thought I'd grab Summer's books while I was there."

Summer got up and helped with the books, "Thanks so much Coop. I totally forgot."

"I figured since you were supposed to meet me at the bookstore half an hour ago," Marissa dumped the rest of the books on Summer's bed.

"I'm so sorry," Summer apologized, "I was watching The Valley and then Alex came in. I blame her."

"What?!" Alex asked from her laying down position on her bed, "I didn't make you stay."

"It's okay," Marissa shrugged.

Seth and Summer sat back down on Summer's bed and Marissa's looked around.

"Uh…here," Alex kicked some dirty clothes off the end of her bed. Then she curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her pillow.

"Thanks," Marissa smiled timidly and sat at the foot of Alex's bed.

Summer picked up the remote and started the Valley again. Everyone focused their eyes on the TV and got absorbed into the fake world of high society.

Halfway through the episode, Marissa couldn't fight the urge anymore and glanced at Alex. She smiled when she saw Alex asleep facing the TV. Marissa got up off of the bed and covered Alex up with the blanket before sitting down again.

A few minutes later, Summer looked over at Marissa who had a hand on Alex's leg. She was absentmindedly stroking Alex's leg through the blanket with her thumb.

Summer smiled and laid her head on Seth's shoulder. She was sure Marissa didn't even realize what she was doing. It looked like just a natural beautiful thing. The gesture was so small and simple while being so sweet at the same time.

Alex's phone rang at the end of the end of the episode. She buried her face in the pillow and blindly reached for it.

Marissa grabbed Alex's phone off of the floor and put it in Alex's reach. Alex grabbed it and answered, "Yeah?" Alex sat up and ran a hand through her hair, "What time is it?…oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'll be right there." Alex hung up and rubbed her eyes. She got out of bed and changed into jeans and put on a clean shirt.

"Where are you off to?" Seth asked.

"I'm going to a movie with one of the girls on the surf team," Alex answered. She looked at herself in Summer's mirror and put up her hair. "How do I look?"

"Great," Summer nodded.

Alex grabbed her phone and key and opened the door, "Bye guys." Then she darted out the door.

Summer looked over at Marissa who was staring at Alex's blanket.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Summer moved to Alex's bed and sat next to Marissa.

Marissa shrugged, "It doesn't matter if it is. I mean we're not together or anything so it doesn't matter." Marissa stood up, "I gotta go get some stuff for my classes."

"Marissa…" Summer trailed off as Marissa walked out the door.

Summer looked over at Seth. Seth took a deep breath, "That went well."

"We need to do something," Summer looked out the window.

"What are we going to do?" Seth asked.

"I don't know yet," Summer looked at Seth, "But we'll figure something out."


	3. Chapter 3

Summer was awake going through her CDs when Alex walked in around two in the morning.

"Hey," Alex smiled.

"Hey," Summer looked up at her, "That was a long movie."

Alex dropped her keys on the nightstand by her bed, "We went to a bar my friend owns afterward."

"Did you have fun?" Summer started putting her CDs away.

Alex nodded, "It was so much fun, but I am so tired." Alex changed into her pajamas and got into bed.

"Do you want me to turn off the light?" Summer asked.

"You don't have to," Alex closed her eyes.

"Actually I think I'm going to go to bed too," Summer reached over and flipped off the lights before laying down. "Alex?"

"Hmm?" Alex sleepily answered.

Summer paused, "Never mind."

Normally Alex would have wanted to know what Summer was going to asked, but in her state of half-sleep, she just rolled over and went to sleep.

The next day, Summer woke up before Alex and went to meet Seth for breakfast.

"Hey," Summer slid into a chair across from Seth.

Seth pushed some pancakes over to Summer, "I talked to Marissa this morning."

Summer raised an eyebrow, "Why?" She took a sip of Seth's orange juice.

"She asked to borrow my Coldplay CD," Seth answered, "I told her I didn't have one and then she told me that she knew I did. So I gave it to her."

"Coldplay?" Summer's eyes widened, "This is bad."

"They're not that bad," Seth sat back in his chair.

"I'm not talking about the band," Summer answered, "I'm talking about Marissa. Coldplay is definitely not what she usually listens to."

"So do we need a Coldplay intervention or something?" Seth asked.

Summer nodded and took Seth's muffin, "Let's go." She stood up and walked away.

"Hey!" Seth followed Summer, "That's my muffin."

Summer knocked on Marissa's door. It opened and they saw Marissa in pajama pants and a cami while The Scientist drifted around the room.

"It's worse than I thought," Summer walked into the room. She turned off the CD player. "Sit down."

Marissa sat on her bed and looked at Summer. Seth stepped in and closed the door.

"We need a plan," Summer started pacing in front of Marissa's bed.

"For what?" Marissa asked.

"To get you and Alex together," Summer answered, "Having you sit around listening to Coldplay isn't going to do it."

Marissa leaned back against the wall, "She said she needs time."

"She's not going to know that we're trying," Summer added.

"It's hard to trick Alex," Seth sat on Marissa's desk chair.

"C'mon there's three of us," Summer look at the other two, "We can to come up with something."

The door opened and Caden walked in, toweling off her hair. "Oh hey."

"Hi," Summer waved.

"We could get them both in the elevator then cut the power," Seth offered.

"No way," Marissa shook her head.

"Well I'm tapped," Seth shrugged.

Caden looked at Marissa and raised an eyebrow.

"They're trying to think of a way to get me back with my ex," Marissa explained.

"Does that me we don't have to listen to Coldplay anymore?" Caden asked.

Marissa pulled her blanket over her legs, "What happened last night that's making you want to get us together so bad?"

Summer looked at Marissa for a moment, "She came home at two last night. After the movie, they went to a bar."

"Did she have fun?" Marissa asked, not wanting to know the answer.

Summer nodded.

"Then why can't we just leave her alone," Marissa asked, laying her head on her pillow.

"Because," Summer answered, "You're miserable without her and when she looks at you, you can't tell me she doesn't want you too."

Marissa pulled her blanket over her head and turned the music back on.

Summer groaned, "C'mon Coop."

"No," Marissa answered from under the covers, "She said she needed time and I can wait."

"Are you going to wait under the covers?" Summer asked.

"Yes," Marissa said defiantly.

"I believe Alex said the line that got me punched in the face," Seth added, "She can't fall for you if you're not there to catch her."

Marissa didn't say anything.

Summer sighed, "Bye Marissa." She walked out with Seth behind her.

"Hey Summer," the door opened and Caden stepped out, "I don't mean to but in, but I think you're talking to the wrong girl."

"What do you mean?" Summer asked.

"I mean that Marissa is just respecting what her ex asked," Caden added, "Maybe you should talk to Alex."

Summer paused, "You're right. Thanks."

"No problem," Caden smiled.

Seth and Summer were sitting on Summer's bed with Alex walked in with her surf board. They both look at Alex until she noticed them. "Uh…hi?"

"Have a seat Alex," Seth told her.

Alex raised an eyebrow, but sat on her bed.

"We need to talk," Summer added.

"If this is about the wet towel thing, I promise I'll start hanging them up," Alex quickly said.

"It's not about towels," Summer answered, "It's about Marissa."

"Oh," Alex looked down at her blanket and started picking at it.

"What does 'oh' mean?" Seth asked.

Alex paused, "I…what did you want to talk about?"

"Have you come a decision yet?" Summer asked, "You told Marissa you needed time and she's refusing to go along with one of our plans because she wants to respect what you asked."

Alex looked up at Summer then looked back down at her blanket.

"Do you want to be with her?" Seth asked.

"I do," Alex answered, "It's just not that simple."

"What will it take to get you together with her?" Summer asked, "Because she's in her room, still in bed listening to Coldplay."

Alex looked out the window and saw the light coming out of Marissa and Caden's window.

"Are you dating that girl?" Seth asked cautiously.

"What girl?" Alex asked.

"The one you went to the movies with?" Summer pulled her legs under herself.

Alex shook her head, "No. She's just a friend."

"Okay," Seth nodded, "So what are we going to do about Marissa?"

Alex stared at the ground deep in thought for a moment. She took a deep breath, "I dunno."


	4. Chapter 4

Seth leaned over to Summer and whispered something. She nodded and stood, "I'm going to go try to get Marissa out of bed."

Alex didn't look up. She just nodded.

After Summer was gone, Seth watched Alex for a second before speaking, "What exactly is keeping you from just getting back together with Marissa?"

Alex looked up at Seth and whispered, "I'm scared."

Seth moved to Alex's bed and put his arm around her.

"C'mon," Summer nagged Marissa, "Get up. You'll never win Alex back if she sees you like that."

Marissa just groaned.

"Fine," Summer shrugged, "You two weren't that great together anyway."

Marissa nearly flew out of the bed, "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then what made it so great that you'd mope around in bed all day?" Summer asked.

Marissa sat down and played with her hands in her lap, "When she was around other people she always had this tough girl thing, which was hot, but when it was just us…she's sweetest person I've ever met. She'd sit and listen to me talk about my day for hours and every time I'd screw something up really bad and feel like crying, she'd just hold me and say something to make me laugh." Marissa smiled, "She ate some really bad food just to make me feel better about screwing it up."

"What happened?" Summer asked softly and sat next to Alex.

"It just got so intense," Marissa looked down at the ground, "I just started to feel like I needed her too much. So I started pushing her away. I guess I got what I wanted huh?"

"What are you scared of?" Seth asked.

Alex closed her eyes, "That it'll end up like last time. That I'll do something wrong and she'll leave. After that night at the bonfire…I don't even remember what happened. I woke up on Jodie's couch with the worst hangover ever. I don't remember feeling anything. I just…I was numb."

Seth rubbed Alex's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Alex shrugged, "I don't know what would happen if she left me again."

Seth pulled Alex closer, "Maybe you two getting back together is a bad idea."

Alex looked at Seth with her eyebrows furrowed, "What makes you think that?"

"If you're this scared of her now," Seth went on, "What will it be like if you get back together?"

Alex sighed, "There's no reason to be scared of her."

"But you are," Seth countered.

Alex looked out the window for a moment before turning back to Seth, "Did Summer teach you how to do that?"

"Do what?" Seth smiled.

"Show me that I'm contradicting myself without actually saying it," Alex smiled.

Seth smirked. "Well I do hang out with Summer a lot."

"So what are we going to do?" Marissa asked.

Summer shrugged, "I don't know that there's anything more I can do, but you and Alex have some talking to do."

"I just don't know what to say," Marissa sighed.

Summer stood up, "Maybe you need to think on it for a while. I'm going back to my room."

Marissa nodded, "Goodnight."

Summer went to her room and saw Alex and Seth talking. "Hey."

"Hey," Seth looked at her.

"Marissa's okay now," Summer sat on her bed and looked at Alex, "But you two need to have a serious conversation."

Alex nodded, "I just don't know what to say."

"Well Marissa doesn't know either," Summer answered.

A slow smile crossed Alex's face, "I think I have an idea."

"Coop," Summer said walking into Marissa's room, "We called your mom and she decided that you needed to go on a trip."

"You called my mom?" Marissa asked pushing the blanket off of her head.

"Yeah," Summer answered. She grabbed one of Marissa's bags from the closet and started packing for her. "You're leaving in an hour."

"What?" Marissa sat up.

"It'll be good for you. You can figure out what you're going to say to Alex," Summer added and finished packing for Marissa, "Now change clothes. I'm driving you to the train station."

"Train?" Marissa asked.

Summer nodded, "Let's go."

Marissa sighed, "Alright."

At the train station, Summer handed Marissa her ticket and her bag, "Have fun. Stay warm."

"Stay warm?" Marissa asked looking at the train ticket, "Why am I going to South Lake Tahoe?"

"It's pretty there," Summer answered. She hugged Marissa, "Now go or they'll leave without you."

Marissa got on the train and put her headphones in. She reclined her seat a little and looked at the sky through the glass ceiling. At that point she didn't really care where she was as long as everyone left her alone.

Marissa was really ready to get off of the train after the four and a half hour trip. She looked in the envelope that Summer handed her. She forgot to ask Summer where she was staying. Inside the folder, was a key with an address on it. Marissa put the key in her pocket as she got off the train.

She was immediately hit by freezing air. She looked through her bag and got out the coat Summer packed her. Once it was on, she walked out of the train station to the line of waiting cabs.

Marissa got in the back of one and handed the driver the address. She watched the tall trees powdered in snow pass by. She wondered where her mom was going to have to stay. She took out the key and look it over. It didn't have a number on it so it wasn't a hotel. Probably a cabin or something. Maybe a weekend away from everything is just what she needed to get everything together in her head.

The driver stopped outside a small cabin at the bottom of a mountain with a snowmobile parked outside. Marissa smiled. The snowmobile looked like fun.

"Have a nice day," the driver told Marissa after she paid him.

"Thanks," Marissa answered and walked up to the cabin. She climbed the stairs and unlocked the door. It was a one room cabin with a king sized bed on one side of the room, a small kitchen in the back and a fireplace on the opposite side from the bed. There was roaring fire going on the fireplace already.

Marissa dropped her bag and looked over the room again. "This could be fun."

Marissa walked to the back of the cabin and into the bathroom. She hadn't looked in the mirror in a few days. When she saw herself she sighed. Her hair was messy and she looked really tired. She looked in the shower and then turned it on.

After a long shower, Marissa got out and got dressed. She walked into the kitchen looking around for food. She didn't find anything so she decided now was a good time to take the snowmobile out.

Just as she got her shoes on she heard someone walking up the steps to the porch. Marissa watched the door. She heard the locks click back and suddenly wondered if she was in the wrong cabin.

When the door opened, the first thing she saw was a snowboard. The person carrying the snowboard set it down by the door. "Sorry I'm late."

"Alex?" Marissa asked.

Alex smiled, "I know it's a few months late, but happy anniversary."

Marissa looked Alex up and down. "My mom had nothing to do with this did she?"

Alex shook her head, "I wasn't sure you'd come if you knew who was really behind this."

"You didn't think I'd come?" Marissa asked, sitting on the bed.

Alex shrugged off her coat and dropped it by the door. She walked over to Marissa and knelt down in front of her. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't want to." She took Marissa's hands, "But I am so sorry for making you wait. There was never a time I didn't want to be with you. I was just…scared. It was stupid to make us both wait."

Marissa bit her lip and looked into Alex's eyes. No matter what happened, even if they fought and yelled at each other, Marissa could look into Alex's eyes and immediately melt. She took Alex's hands and smiled down at Alex. "I understand." She pulled Alex up to meet her and this lips crashed in a fevered kiss.

An hour later, they were laying on the couch in front of the fire, just holding each other.

"Do you feel like getting up and doing anything?" Alex asked, "We could go snowboarding or there's a really fun snowmobile outside…"

Marissa kissed Alex to shut her up, "Just give me a few more minutes here and then we can go." She snuggled deeper into Alex.

Alex smiled and kissed Marissa, "Alright." She took the hand from behind her head and wrapped it around Marissa, turning on her side to face Marissa. "I'm glad you came."

"I glad you brought me here," Marissa smiled, "Did you pay for this yourself?"

"I've been saving for this for a long time," Alex answered, putting some stray hair behind Marissa's ear.

"Really?" Marissa asked, "You never spent any of it?"

"Well some of the money for this trip did go to a new surf board a few months ago, but I kept the account…just in case," Alex answered.

Marissa kissed Alex, "You kept it all this time?"

Alex nodded, "I just kept hoping that…something would happen and we'd find our ways back to each other."

Marissa reached up and stroked Alex's cheek, "I'm so happy we did."

Alex beamed and traced circles on Marissa's hip with her thumb. "So you're not mad at me?"

"No, of course not," Marissa answered, "I was the one that screwed up. When everything was starting to get confusing in my life, I pushed away the one thing that made sense. Everything sort of went to hell after you left."

Alex continued to stroke Marissa's hip, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Marissa moved to kissed Alex, who met her halfway.

Marissa snuggled into Alex and nuzzled her face in the crook of Alex's neck. Alex smiled and moved her hand up to stroke Marissa's hair.

"I missed this," Marissa mumbled into Alex's neck.

Alex continued to stroke Marissa's hair, "Me too."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm scared," Marissa muttered, holding onto Alex's arm.

Alex smiled and clicked her foot into the binding of her snowboard, "I'll be right next to you and we're on the bunny hill. You'll be fine."

Marissa looked around. "Well, those four year olds over there are making me look bad."

Alex chuckled, "C'mon."

Marissa turned her board sideways and started down the hill, still holding onto Alex. Alex slowly them down and soon Marissa got the hang of it.

Marissa let go of Alex and Alex smiled, keeping next to Marissa the whole time.

"Are you ready for an actual hill?" Alex asked when they got to the bottom of the bunny hill.

Marissa looked up at the ski lift and shrugged, "Sure."

When they were on the ski lift a sharp, freezing wind blew. Marissa immediately shivered and Alex immediately noticed. Alex wrapped her arms around Marissa and kissed her cheek, "You okay?"

Marissa leaned into Alex, "I am now."

When they got to the top of the ski lift, Marissa had a little trouble getting off and nearly fell a few feet away from the lodge that was on the mountain.

Alex was trying hard to stifle a laugh as she helped Marissa up.

"Are you laughing at me?" Marissa raised an eyebrow.

"Not at you," Alex smirked, "With you."

"I'm not laughing," Marissa crossed her arms.

Alex let out a small chuckle, "I'm sorry."

Marissa bent down and scooped up some snow. She dumped it on the top of the blonde's head. "Oops. I'm sorry."

Alex grinned and grabbed some snow. Marissa unhooked her feet from her snowboard and ran off to a bunch of trees.

Alex picked up Marissa's board, took off her own, and leaned them against the lodge. Then she stealthily walked toward the trees keeping an eye out for Marissa. Before she knew it, she was hit with a snowball to the back of the head.

Alex turned to see Marissa giggle and duck behind a tree. Alex smiled and picked up some snow, walking to where Marissa was. Marissa popped out and threw a snowball that missed Alex, who returned fire hitting Marissa in the stomach.

Marissa sat on the ground. "Ow." She rubbed her ankle.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked walking over to Marissa and squatting down next to her.

Marissa smiled wickedly. She scooped up some snow and grabbed the collar of Alex's shirt. She shoved the snow down the back of Alex's shirt, laughing the whole time.

"Marissa!" Alex shrieked. She stood up and started trying to get the snow out.

Marissa just lay on the ground laughing.

When Alex got the snow out, she walked over to Marissa and stood over her, "You're mean."

"No I'm not," Marissa took Alex's hands and pulled her down so that Alex was pretty much on top of her. She captured Alex's lips in a sweet kiss and laid back smiling.

Alex rolled her eyes, "I forgot how charming you are."

Marissa chuckled.

Alex moved so that she was holding herself over Marissa and kissed her cheek and down her neck.

"Mmm….Alex," Marissa moaned.

"Hmm?" Alex asked against Marissa's skin.

"The snow is cold," Marissa managed to get out.

Alex pulled away and looked at Marissa, "Well what do you say we go to the cabin and get warmed up?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Marissa smirked.

They got up and snowboarded down the mountain with little trouble. Marissa did have a little problem stopping which she remedied by grabbing onto Alex, who nearly fell over.

Alex started the snowmobile and hopped on, then waited for Marissa to climb on behind her. She felt Marissa's arms snake around her waist and smile. Marissa's lips on the back of her neck make her smile wider. She turned her head to the side and Marissa kissed her cheek.

By the time they got back to the cabin, Marissa's cold hands were already crawling under Alex's shirt.

"That took too long," Marissa muttered and practically pulled Alex inside. Marissa pulled Alex into a fevered kiss as soon as the door was closed.

Alex smiled into the kiss as Marissa backed her up toward the bed. She felt her own coat being pushed off and then her shirt. When the back of her knees hit the back of the bed, Marissa gently pushed her backwards and removed her own coat while Alex watched.

Alex smirked as Marissa crawled on top of her and started nibbling around her neck. Marissa's hands roamed all over her stomach, finally stopping at the top of Alex's pants. Alex just closed her eyes and let the rest of her senses take Marissa in completely.


End file.
